Lipase Catalysed Kinetic Resolution of Racemic 1,2-Diols Containing a Chiral Quaternary Center

Optically active 1,2-diols are valuable buildings blocks in organic synthesis. In the present paper, a set of racemic 1,2-diols with an ester functional group are prepared, starting from α-ketoesters in a three-step procedure with moderate yields. The racemic 1,2-diols, containing a chiral quaternary center in their structure, are subjected to selective acylation in order to perform their kinetic resolution catalysed by a set of commercially available lipases. Under optimized reaction conditions, good conversions and enantioselectivities are achieved by using the lipase PSL-C from Pseudomonas cepacia in tert-butyl methyl ether. This biocatalyst could be reused up to five times without losing its properties.